Turning challenges into opportunity is part of ORA’s route to global success

ORA’s impressive journey to becoming a global leader in real estate and hospitality has been built on transforming challenges into triumphs empowered by unwavering vision and teamwork.

The company has demonstrated resilience and proven innovation to create an evolving portfolio of world-class projects as it navigates an inspirational course to sustained growth.

ORA is preparing to add the UAE to its list of successes with one of the largest mixed-use developments in the country’s history, to be constructed at Ghantoot midway between Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

The master developer enjoys an international reputation for delivering luxury lifestyles via its property and hospitality verticals.

ORA has become a celebrated name with flagship projects in cherished locations, resulting in prestigious new destinations.

The vision of ORA’s chairman and chief executive officer, Eng. Naguib Sawiris, is central to a dynamic team skilled in identifying opportunities and making them a reality.

Together they have taken ORA from humble beginnings in 2016 and swiftly grown the company into a leading developer renowned for world-class addresses, often in unique locations.

Some of the challenges overcome by the ORA Hospitality and ORA Properties divisions are touched upon during an inspiring five-episode documentary series.

A Journey Through Time encapsulates ORA’s industry-leading progress and pioneering spirit.

In the fourth episode - Always Moving Forward - we get a specific look at the obstacles that have confronted the talented team and how they have turned adversity into an opportunity to ultimately create further commercial success and long-term growth for ORA.

The episode puts the spotlight on the expertise and leadership applied by ORA executives to overcome tough situations and see their projects to completion, all the while maintaining an unflinching commitment to innovation and excellence within a unique company culture.

Always Moving Forward draws on real examples from ORA’s journey as well as insights from a team that shares a sense of united purpose to foster a collaborative environment that gets things done.

Among the challenges Eng. Sawiris outlines was securing good quality contractors in Pakistan, where ORA is delivering the huge Eighteen project.

He also highlights challenging soil conditions due to constant rain, alongside importation and local bank financing hurdles that ORA had to overcome to set a new standard for destination living in the country. With an 18-hole championship golf course at its heart, the appealing location in the hills of Islamabad has been developed by ORA in partnership with Saif Group and Kohistan Builders. Tarek Hamdy, chief executive officer of Eighteen, reveals how political turbulence in the country also “made it quite difficult for us”, alongside currency devaluation and inflation.

The devaluation of the Egyptian pound also impacted construction costs in ORA’s home country where it is developing significant projects.

These include ZED Towers, part of ZED El Sheikh Zayed, ZED East, Pyramid Hills in Giza Plateau, Solana in New Zayed, and Silversands North Coast, an emerging beach destination occupying a picturesque seaside location.

In the Caribbean, ORA faced limited resources and contractors for its Silversands Grand Anse in Grenada, which required the importation of materials from Europe or the USA in order to fulfil Eng. Sawiris’s vision for the high-end resort on the idyllic island.

Always Moving Forward offers glimpses into the harmonious synergy between the executive team and their chairman, highlighting how collective efforts and shared values have propelled ORA to unprecedented achievements in the real estate and hospitality industries.

Speaking broadly, Amgad Sabry, ORA’s chief business development officer, says: “The challenge is to meet the very long-term vision with a very quick execution.”

And Khaled Morgan, ORA chief development officer, says that when starting any project “you try to do your research and understand the context very well” of how people work, their lives and their preferences.

This refreshing outlook has been applied to ORA’s other headline-making projects, including Ayia Napa Marina, in Cyprus.

The international lifestyle destination and mixed development masterpiece is located in one of the most famous locations on the island and includes world-class facilities such as upscale retail boutiques, recreational and entertainment experiences including waterfront dining, and the iconic Twisted Tower, with a second one under construction.

Complimenting 220 luxury apartments overlooking the Mediterranean is Commercial Village, stylish yachting facilities comprising 600 berths, 11 beach villas, and 12 island villas appealing to end-users and investors.

Sherif Hany, chief human resources officer, describes ORA as “young” in the real estate market, but says “we have the potential … we have the passion to do a lot”.

Meanwhile, Dimitrios Zarikos, chief executive of ORA Hospitality, says: “We need to do things right in the beginning to have a chance to sustain staying at the top.

“We certainly have the vision, the resources … the right team.”

All this promises great things for ORA’s substantial entry into the UAE market, in Ghantoot.

In partnership with Abu Dhabi investment company Q Holding, the company will deliver a smart, sustainable city - ORA’s largest development and first footprint in the UAE.

The huge project will target residents and tourists seeking a luxurious live-work-play community in a desirable destination that bridges the UAE’s two most progressive and best-known cities.

ORA says it understands that every project comes with its own set of challenges and risks, but its team of experts works tirelessly to identify those risks and overcome them with innovative solutions to ensure the successful completion of all projects.

Mr Hamdy adds: “ORA will go further, we will go beyond a lot of things because the vision and the excellence in the decision-making that we have at the top is really making a difference.”